Slovak matters - The Slovak Spectator

A reflection on Slovak humour, pessimism and the meaning of happiness — from Beethoven’s Ode to Joy to the uneasy smile of modern Europe.

The real smile of Slovakia

When impaling yourself on the orchestra is a good thing.

Eric Smillie

“Kút” as a corner or a café? In Slovak it is easy to get lost — and to have fun.

I understand, really

Smile and nod responses make you seem fluent...until it backfires.

Eric Smillie

A handful of letters

A tasty fistful of words

Throwing a handful of words into the soup pot.

Eric Smillie

Woman smiling and floating in water.

Let it swim

Leave your cares on the shores of the Slovak sea.

Eric Smillie

Roasting over a fire.

Light the Slovak fire

Opekačkas are a quintessential Slovak summer experience, despite burns, mosquitos, and smoke.

Eric Smillie

A wolf in mist.

Don’t get the wolf!

Fresh air, wet hikes, and a mystery illness.

Eric Smillie

Don’t you want to?

Regarding terrible Slovak phrases that may please you.

Eric Smillie

Commenting on the way a person looks is another fundamental category of the compliment.

From ‘You’re a champ’ to ‘You saved my life’: A Slovak guide to saying something nice

Compliments can take you a long way in life.

Eric Smillie

Musical language also enters everyday Slovak as metaphor.

Music in the veins

What to say when someone is bossy or blabs everything, inspired by music.

Eric Smillie

If you happen to be part of a Slovak wedding (svadba), things can go from an idyllic image to downright strange.

Kidnapping and virginity: brace yourself for a Slovak wedding

Some of the more traditional wedding rituals seem shocking today.

Eric Smillie

The fruit of Slovak soil, the potato, forms the foundation of this guide.

Dialects: You say potatoes, I say grule...or švábky?

Around Košice, asking for a pipka will get you a pipe but elsewhere might get you a smack.

Eric Smillie

A very informal way of saying goodbye in Slovak, and rather quirky, is to say "pa" or "papa".

You say nazdar, I say dovi

From ships to Latin, Slovak's greeting vocabulary is rich and broad.

Jonathan Gresty

A brief digression about Slovak legs; they are an important linguistic resource.

How to get out of a conversation in a hurry

You might be jammed, whistling, or falling, preferably without a parachute.

Eric Smillie

Not everyone wants to be packed. My colleague tells me that men, often "aspoň trochu pod parou" ("at least a bit drunk"), have a habit of feeding her bad pick-up lines about how beautiful her eyes are.

Slovak romance: What to say when flirting, dating, or dumping

In Slovakia, you don’t just flirt – you "hook" (zháčiť) or "pack" (zbaliť). Here’s the slang you need to play the game – or decode it.

Eric Smillie

As for a few phrases pertaining to eating and food, a good one is that "I am hungry as a wolf" (som hladný ako vlk), though every time I hear it, all I think of is the Duran Duran song "Hungry Like a Wolf".

A Spanish bird made of beef

If you get hangry, you probably feel like a wolf when hungry.

Eric Smillie

There are a wide variety trees in Slovakia and a rich phraseology to go with them.

Strong as a beech, thin as a poplar

Trees provide a rich background for all kinds of Slovak sayings.

Conrad Toft

Honey on the tongue, poison in the heart

Hopefully powerful politicians learn that the handle will eventually fall off the water jug.

Eric Smillie

Cake with poppy seeds

What to make of mak

What to do when you don't like a beloved Slovak ingredient?

Conrad Toft

Slovník is its own reward

Reading the dictionary is also funny.

Tom Nicholson

Mikuláš príde na námestie.

Mikuláš or the Devil: Were you obedient?

In Slovakia, Mikuláš isn't just a jolly old fellow.

Tom Nicholson

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